This invention relates to a toothbrush, and, in particular, to a toothbrush that utilizes a light source for signaling when a recommended brushing time interval has started and ended.
It is well know that plaque and bacteria adhering to teeth make the teeth more susceptible to tooth decay. Dentists generally recommend that toothbrush users brush their teeth for at least two minutes to adequately remove the plaque. However, many toothbrush users do not pay close attention to the brushing time duration to ensure that they have brushed for the recommended brushing time interval (e.g., approximately two minutes). Accordingly, visually signaling users at the start and the end of the recommended brushing time interval would allow them to brush for the desired amount of time without having to monitor the time using a watch or a clock. Further, since many users would brush for the recommended time if they were aware of the starting and ending time, additional plaque would be removed as compared with variable brushing time durations.
Known toothbrushes have utilized a light source to indicate when the recommended brushing time interval has started and ended. However, the known toothbrushes utilize light sources that do not illuminate the toothbrush 360xc2x0 around the circumference of the toothbrush. Accordingly, a user brushing their teeth may not see the light source unless take the toothbrush out of their mouth, rotate the toothbrush, and look at the status of the light source. Thus, the user may not brush for the recommended brushing time interval since they have to periodically check the status of the light source during the recommended brushing time interval. Another limitation of known toothbrushes is that as soon as the toothbrush is activated, a timer in the toothbrush starts counting the time over the recommended brushing time interval. Since, the known toothbrushes do not take into account the time required to apply toothpaste to the toothbrush, the user may not brush for the recommended brushing time interval if they activate the toothbrush prior to applying the toothpaste to the toothbrush.
There is thus a need for a toothbrush and a method that minimizes or reduces one or more of the above mentioned deficiencies.
The present invention provides a toothbrush that utilizes a light source for signaling when a recommended brushing time interval has started and ended. The inventive toothbrush includes a handle portion having a translucent portion configured to allow the transmission of light therefrom around substantially the entire circumference of the toothbrush. The toothbrush further includes a tip portion attached to the handle portion having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom. The tip portion and the handle portion are detachable from one another. The toothbrush may further include a light source disposed within the handle portion proximate to the translucent portion. The light source may illuminate the entire translucent portion so that light emitted from the translucent portion can be seen 360xc2x0 around the toothbrush. Finally, the toothbrush may include a control circuit disposed within the handle portion configured to control the light source.
A method for controlling a light source disposed in a translucent region of a toothbrush for indicating when a recommended brushing time interval has started and ended, includes a step of sensing when an activation switch on the toothbrush is set to a first state for a first predetermined time interval. The inventive method further includes a step of iteratively switching the light source off and on for a second predetermined time interval after the first predetermined time interval has elapsed. The inventive method further includes a step of switching the light source on for a third predetermined time interval after the second predetermined time interval has elapsed. The inventive method further includes a step of iteratively switching the light source off and on for a fourth predetermined time interval after the third predetermined time interval has elapsed. The recommended brushing time interval comprises the sum of the third and fourth predetermined time intervals. Finally, the inventive method includes a step of switching the light source off.
A toothbrush and method in accordance with the present invention represents a significant improvement over conventional toothbrushes and methods. In particular, the inventive toothbrush utilizes a translucent portion and a light source disposed therein to emit light 360xc2x0 around the circumference of the toothbrush. Accordingly, a user can easily see when the recommended brushing time interval has elapsed without having to periodically take the toothbrush out of their mouth to check the status of the light source. Further, the inventive method provides an extra time interval prior to the recommended brushing time interval to allow a user sufficient time to apply toothpaste to the toothbrush.